To maximize the shelf life of your produce, take the time to store everything properly before you put it away. This doesn't mean you need to wash everything--in fact, you shouldn't. Most items will last longer if you don't.

Should a natural disaster strike, or should human error launch a cataclysmic event (on purpose or not), the vault would act as a safe-deposit box containing the seeds no longer available in traditional seed banks.

just when I begin to imagine scurvy symptoms, I spot a jar of gooey goodness made from end-of-season fruits preserved for the winter ahead. Grab a jar, get a spoon and read on. I'm going to unfold the mysteries of these gelatinous treasures.

The Strawberry Rite of Passage, now transcribed for future generations, is more than just making great tasting jam, it's the experience of doing it for oneself and knowing where your food comes from, supporting local farmers and recapturing one of the lost home arts.